Having restored integrity and public confidence in Columbus City Schools - and led significant academic gains for students and improved budget accountability in operations - Superintendent/CEO Dr. Dan Good has announced that he will retire at the end of December and step down as leader of Ohio’s largest school district.

“Knowing that so much has been accomplished and our District is back on a sustainable positive trajectory with the right people and processes firmly in place, I have felt a sense of peacefulness about starting another journey I put on hold fifty months ago,” shared Dr. Good. “I purposely chose to wait until December so our District can stay focused on starting this new school year strong and so I can work closely with our Board of Education to ensure an easy transition.”

Dr. Good was appointed Superintendent by the Columbus Board of Education in 2013, just days after he initially retired as Superintendent of Westerville City Schools.

At the time, the Board and community leaders made clear that his primary mission was to address serious concerns raised about student data and to restore the community’s confidence and support of the District.

“We have accomplished that mission and more, as most evidenced by the overwhelming support of our community and voters in approving our 2016 levy,” noted Board of Education President Gary L. Baker, II. “Key systems and sustainable measures are now in place to ensure that the District doesn’t slide back and can move forward without losing momentum while the Board searches for Dr. Good’s replacement.”

Under Dr. Good’s leadership, Columbus City Schools has:

increased access to high quality pre-Kindergarten experiences by 22%.

initiated a district-wide and community-wide all-hands-in effort on primary reading, which more than doubled the percentage of 3rd graders promotable to 4th grade four years in a row.

better served more students with Limited English Proficiency and Special Needs than any other district in the region.

eliminated the achievement gaps between students groups in 26 of our schools.

took the historic step to offer both breakfast and lunch to all students at no charge, recognizing that lack of steady access to nutritional meals should never be a barrier to learning.

opened the District’s first Gifted Academy for students with superior cognitive skills and talent.

transformed career tech with the help of local business and labor so more students graduate with in-demand career skills and often jobs in hand.

helped a growing number of graduates afford to go to college, with the Class of 2017 earning a record-breaking $72 million in scholarships and grants.

provided a greater return on our taxpayers’ investments by reducing administrative overhead, trimming its budget by $50 million in one year, closing under-utilized schools and selling unneeded properties, and launching a much-needed $125-million bond-supported infrastructure repair program to address years of deferred maintenance.

implemented digital and physical data review systems to provide constant updates on vital compliance measurements for enrollment, attendance and academic measures, further ensuring the fidelity and accuracy of student-related data.

All of those accomplishments and more have earned the District and many of its teachers and staff with state and national recognitions, including the ranking of two of the Nation’s Best High Schools by US News & World Report.

Good added: “I am so very proud of the work that’s been accomplished in this District, the families who’ve been better served in every neighborhood, the partnerships built with the private and non-profit sectors across our communities, and the empowerment and Spirit of Success that’s been instilled in our nearly 52,000 students that will last far beyond today.”

The Board of Education joins Dr. Good in focusing its primary efforts on a stable and successful start to the new school year (which begins on August 23) and in resolving current contract negotiations with the District’s teachers and classified staff. In the following weeks, the Board will determine a public-engaged approach to identify and measure the essential qualities of a superintendent and begin a search process, according to President Baker.